American Women Suck

Foreign businesses are welcome if they have not supported the Ukrainian army, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said Western businesses are welcome to return to Russia if they have not supported the Ukrainian army and have met all obligations to their employees and the state, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. In an interview with TASS on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok released on Saturday, Peskov outlined Moscow’s approach to foreign companies that left the Russian market after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 and Western sanctions. He stated that “it would be wrong to say we are not interested in these companies returning.” According to Peskov, many companies that left “reserved the right to return, fulfilling all their obligations to employees and to Russian regions... With them, of course, we need to conduct a very careful, respectful dialogue, observing our interests.” Other companies, however, abandoned their employees without paying out salaries or fulfilling their social obligations, Peskov said. He added that they will still be allowed to return as long as they make amends. “Everyone should be allowed back. It will just be very expensive for them to return.” The Kremlin spokesman stressed that the only companies that are not welcome are those that have supported the Ukrainian military. “These companies have already become enemies, and that is how they should be treated,” he said. As Western companies exited the Russian market, they lost billions of dollars in assets. BP alone reportedly took a write-off of more than $25 billion from exiting its Rosneft stake. McDonald’s, which sold its Russian restaurants to a local licensee, had to write off $1.3 billion. A Reuters analysis earlier this year estimated that foreign companies exiting the country lost more than $107 billion. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow remains “open to cooperation, particularly with our friends,” and has never “turned away or pushed anyone out.” He added that many Western companies “are eagerly waiting for all these political restrictions to be lifted,” while some continue to operate in Russia. View the full article

By Ilana Newman In Southwest Colorado, increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity has prompted local groups to organize to protect immigrants and arm residents with knowledge about their constitutional rights when dealing with federal law enforcement. Over the past month, approximately 20 people have been detained by ICE in La Plata County, Colorado, said Beatriz Garcia Waddell, a Western Slope community organizer with Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. Among these incidents was an arrest on August 18 in Aztec, New Mexico, a small town bordering southwest Colorado. Jorge Martin Ortiz-Rosalez was arrested in his own car in front of his wife and daughters. Their windows were smashed-in by law enforcement, even as Ortiz-Rosalez yelled that his children were in the car. No arrest warrant was served, according to a Durango Herald article. In response to increased ICE presence in the region, local groups have been holding ‘Know Your Rights’ trainings to educate both immigrants and allies about what to do if federal law enforcement is present. Garcia Waddell held one such training in Cortez, Colorado in mid-August with a group of around 40, mostly white, retirement-age community members who showed up to protect their neighbors. Mariana Stump, an activist who lives in Cortez, has also held a Know Your Rights training for the Latino community in Montezuma County. Stump said that about 40 people attended a training in Spanish she held at a church in Cortez earlier in August and she plans to organize another one in September. “We just keep spreading the word to let the community of Cortez know that they’re not alone. We’re here to help them and support them in any hard and difficult times,” said Stump in an interview with the Daily Yonder. Angela Clark, who helped start the Cortez immigrant support group Manos Unidad as part of Montezuma County’s Indivisible chapter, said in a Daily Yonder interview that many Latino residents didn’t attend big local events like the rodeo and the Montezuma County Fair this year out of fear of ICE activity. In rural communities like Cortez, Latino residents have a lot of economic power and their absence will have ripple effects. “Restaurants would be closed. Hotels would not have staff,” said Clark about the economic impact of losing Latino residents. According to census data, around 3,200 Hispanic identifying people live in Montezuma County, about 12% of the population. Stump said that many residents who are afraid of ICE agents don’t want to leave the house, even to go to Walmart. To help mitigate this risk she runs errands for them. Colorado Rapid Response Network was established in Colorado in 2016 by a coalition of organizations. The network receives calls about ICE sightings or activity and mobilizes local people to respond to and confirm any sightings. Other states, cities, and regions have their own localized rapid response networks like the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, the Florida Immigrant Coalition Hotline and the California Rapid Response Network that also includes local chapters. Responders within these networks are trained, and have practice, dealing with federal law enforcement and enforcing immigrants’ rights. “Practice is very important, that’s how you know what to do in a stressful situation,” said Garcia Waddell. In La Plata County, Clark said a recent ICE raid led to a man fleeing by foot into the mountains, leaving his work truck behind with ICE agents who were unable to catch him. According to Clark, agents attempted to impound the truck, but two people who were mobilized through the rapid response network were there and would not allow it. “Two confirmers [volunteers] sat there for 25 minutes and kept saying, ‘show me the judicial warrant.’ And they protected this man’s property,” said Clark. In rural communities like Southwest Colorado, it’s even more important to have expansive networks of people trained and ready to respond in these situations. It’s an hour drive over multiple passes between Cortez and Durango, so the two communities need their own independent response teams. Clark said that there are now around 16 people in Montezuma County ready to respond to ICE reports. So far, they’ve only had false alarms. Garcia Waddell sees this kind of organizing as a way to bring a voice and visibility to rural areas that don’t have a lot of resources. Her work with the Colorado Immigrant Response Coalition connects rural communities on the Western Slope to statewide resources. During the Know Your Rights training in Cortez, Garcia Waddell talked about the difference between public and private property. She explained that to detain someone on private property, which includes a vehicle, officers need either a warrant signed by a judge or consent, which can be given implicitly by opening a door for an officer. All people in the United States, regardless of citizenship, are protected by the United States Constitution. Garcia Waddell highlighted the fourth, fifth, and sixth amendments in her presentation at St. Barnabas Church. The fourth amendment says that any arrests must have probable cause, while the sixth amendment says that people have the right to know what the probable cause is. She reminded people to make sure federal agents have a signed judicial warrant before complying with their requests, and that detainees have a right to ask on what grounds they are being detained. The fourth amendment – the right to remain silent – means you don’t have to say anything that could incriminate yourself and, additionally, that you have the right to an attorney. “My kids love this one,” joked Garcia Waddel about her children invoking the fourth amendment at home. Evidently, for Garcia Waddel, it’s never too early to start teaching the building blocks of constitutional law. An attendee asked why ICE agents are smashing windows, an obvious violation of these constitutional rights, and Garcia Waddell explained that “the government doesn’t have any accountability with federal agencies. You get to the court, and maybe the court decides you are being taken legally or illegally. But I haven’t seen any case where ICE agents have been reprimanded for their actions.” This is all the more reason to know your rights and defend them, she said. By asking for a warrant and refusing to comply without one, she hopes fewer people will be detained in the first place. It’s also up to the community to protect their immigrant neighbors. “The law is a tool,” Garcia Waddell said to the group of Cortez residents at the Know Your Rights training, “if you don’t use it, it will not do anything good. We have to exercise our rights to defend our community.” “We still have rights. They have been violated again. We might not expect the best scenarios, but we have to still defend it, because if we give up defending we’re going to be in a very authoritarian situation.” This article first appeared on The Daily Yonder and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. — Previously Published on dailyyonder.com with Creative Commons License *** – The world is changing fast. We help you keep up. We’ll send you 1 post, 3x per week. Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo: unsplash The post Neighbors Don’t Let Ice Arrest Their Neighbors Without a Warrant appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Don Klees Among history’s lessons is that great messages don’t always get the messengers you’d expect. Being a form of communal history, this is also true of pop music. However, the relatively low stakes sometimes invite less thoughtful judgments. One expression of this phenomenon concerns the unambiguously great hit single “Jessie’s Girl”, a song overflowing with righteous truth about at least one of the Seven Deadly Sins. In the intervening decades, Rick Springfield’s 1981 hit took on a life of its own that often obscures the quality of the messenger. Between soundtrack appearances and regular rotation on satellite radio stations, the song looms sufficiently large that Springfield is often labelled a “one-hit wonder”, despite an impressive string of hit singles in the first half of the decade. It didn’t help matters that the release of “Jessie’s Girl” coincided with his debut as Dr. Noah Drake on the daytime soap opera General Hospital. Though he’d been recording albums for over a decade and paying his acting dues with several years of guest roles on television, the seemingly overnight nature of his fame fostered perceptions that he wasn’t especially serious about either medium. Some critics, such as Greil Marcus – who ranked “Jessie’s Girl” at #1 in his “Real Life Rock Top 10” list for 1981 – showed some appreciation of Springfield’s work, but many others seemed predisposed toward disparagement, often using his good looks and popularity as part of their critique. Bruce Springsteen idolatrist Dave Marsh offered the snide assessment in the 1983 edition of The Rolling Stone Record Guide that Springfield’s “slick sort of listenable pop fodder” was “just for you, if you think Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty would be perfect if only they wore designer jeans.” One can understand a zealot’s desire to proselytize while decrying others as false prophets, and it isn’t Marsh’s fault that the first of those working class heroes he mentioned went on to be the kind of guy who’d dump his wife and run off with his backup singer. Nevertheless, Marsh unintentionally revealed himself to be Exhibit A for the way many would-be taste makers are so focused on what they feel people ought to listen to that they never consider the possibility that others could have good reasons for enjoying something else. History has, in any event, been kinder to Rick Springfield than to reflexively snarky comments like Marsh’s. This shouldn’t surprise anyone who’s paid attention over the past 40 years. While Springfield isn’t in the same league as a songwriter as Springsteen or Tom Petty, he has much more talent than detractors suggested. Likewise, soap operas might not represent the pinnacle of acting, but the work ethic needed for a series that airs five days a week is undeniable. By his own account, especially in his 2010 memoir Late, Late at Night, Springfield sometimes indulged in the hedonistic cliché of rock-star life, but even that’s counterbalanced by the sensitivity and candor with which he discusses his mental health issues and events like the death of his father. Those thoughtful aspects – along with the aforementioned work ethic – have been on full display this summer during the I Want My 80s tour. A follow-up to a similar excursion from 2023, the tour teamed Springfield up with fellow stars from that decade, such as Paul Young and John Waite. In a July show at the storied Virginia concert venue Wolf Trap, the artists demonstrated how well both they and their songs have aged. Seeing a long-established artist can be a gamble, with memories of one’s youth at stake. Perhaps their voice is a far cry from what it once was, or they seem like they’d rather be somewhere else. Not so with Rick Springfield. The singer, who was very candid in Late, Late at Night about his fears that he failed to connect with concertgoers earlier in his career, came across as thoroughly engaged and genuinely happy to be there. Springfield drew a connection between those anxieties and his longstanding battle with depression, which he referred to in the book as “the Darkness.” The candor about his mental health isn’t limited to the page, as he related those struggles – including a suicide attempt when he was 16 – on stage before playing “World Start Turning,” a track from his final album of the 1980s, Rock of Life. “World Start Turning,” a mainstay in his setlist for the past several years, was among the lesser-known tracks played on the I Want My 80s tour. His show as a whole leaned heavily into the hits, delivered in good voice with energy to spare. For all their polish on record, songs like “Affair of the Heart” and “Love Somebody” rock, and “Don’t Talk to Strangers” has entered middle-age sounding far more direct than it did on MTV in 1982. To square the circle between a surplus of hits and a finite amount of stage time, many of them are played as part of a medley, along with the more recent song “What’s Victoria’s Secret?” A brief passage from “Jessie’s Girl” that brings the audience to their feet, but singer and audience alike know it’s just a teaser. After finishing the main set with “Human Touch,” a Top 20 hit from 1983 that served as a backdrop for him to venture into the crowd, there was no question of what Springfield would play for an encore. More than forty years later, every word of Greil Marcus’ December 1981 assessment still rings true. Fast, funny, anguished, sexy – and that drum sound! and that guitar solo! Still it may live in history more for these lines, as naturistically odd as anything by Chuck Berry: “And I’m looking in the mirror all the time/Wondering what she don’t see in me.” “Jessie’s Girl” wasn’t Rick Springfield’s only moment of pop song brilliance, but it’s easy to understand how its shine obscures the rest. Great songs have that way about them. — This post was previously published on CultureSonar. *** You Might Also Like These From The Good Men Project Compliments Men Want to Hear More Often Relationships Aren’t Easy, But They’re Worth It The One Thing Men Want More Than Sex ..A Man’s Kiss Tells You Everything Subscribe to The Good Men Project Newsletter Email Address * Subscribe If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join us as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. Photo credit: Justin Higuchi from Los Angeles, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons The post The Ballad of Rick Springfield appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

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Hi, I’m 33 years old Indian male. I’m 6ft and have great muscular physique as I’ve been lifting weights consistently for the last 15 years. I work from home doing something similar to trading markets. I never dated in my life or went out on any dates or even had sex with any girls that wasn’t an escort. I got into the habit of seeing escorts/prostitutes from an early age of say 18. Been seeing escorts ever since then and probably had sex with over 100 really good-looking women in this way. I’m only attracted to white women so all the escorts I had sex with were white. Some were attracted to me as I have great muscular physique and tall. But I get down a lot as I’ve never dated or had sex with any girl that wasn’t an escort. There is no social validation that comes from having sex with escorts even if you are good at sex, good looking and some escorts find you very attractive. I don’t go to bars and clubs as I don’t drink and I don’t like party scene. Unfortunately, online dating doesn’t work for me despite being 6ft and having a more muscular physique than 99% of men. As I believe this is because I’m only sexually attracted to white women and I am brown. Most people date within their own race and this is more prevalent with online dating. It gets me down a lot as when I look at couples often the guy is short, has no muscles, etc. and I deem the man to be inferior to me. I am narcissistic which probably developed from being socially isolated and alienated all my life and developing a me against the world mentality. It just seems that dating works best for white men in the whole, even men that are below average will do ok if they are white. I’m 33, made 6 figures two years ago but last yr was in a bad mental state and didn’t do well. I’m just focusing now on building my finances well again over next few years. I am planning to try dating when I’m 35 or 36 but I don’t know how I will ever meet any white woman I’m attracted to start dating. Tried going to salsa class in past but didn’t meet any girls I was attracted to there and don’t really like salsa. I go to the gym around 5 times a week and I enjoy lifting weights but it’s not exactly a social activity other than getting compliments from other men about how good my body is. Tried some yoga classes as well but there is no interaction there between genders and they have separate changing rooms and showers for men and women. I still have the aim of becoming a millionaire by the time I’m 40 which is definitely an achievable goal, But it all seems empty if I will never even be able to find any dates. Seems like I will be 39 years old in 6 yrs, millionaire lets say by then with still a great muscular physique, 6ft tall and still never find anyone most likely due to my race and skin colour. I have gotten into spirituality recently and it does says that in Buddhism they believe all of life is suffering and that preferences is what causes suffering. So if you have no preferences and no way you want things to be, no likes and no dislikes you can never suffer in life. Is still tough all the time when I see couples and very often the man is inferior to me. Seems like I have been excluded from even having a chance to date or have sex that I don’t have to pay for. Shut Out and Shut Down There are times when I get a letter where I truly don’t know where to start. OK, let’s start with something obvious: yeah, race plays a factor when it comes to dating, and South and East Asian men in particular have had centuries of incredibly racist propaganda and pop culture portraying them as effete and emasculated, as nerdy horny bumblers or otherwise unsexy in various ways, especially when it comes to trying to date white women. That sort of racism is going to present a significant head wind, particularly if you’re focused on online dating. But as I’m often saying: difficult isn’t the same as “impossible”. I would, however, remind you that online dating sucks for pretty much everyone, since the apps are primarily designed these days to frustrate you and get you to pay to be less frustrated. It also doesn’t help when the male-to-female ratio is close to 70/30 on the more popular apps and, quite frankly, most men really suck at using the apps effectively. So, part of the problem is a skill issue. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about a couple other issues that need to be addressed if you want to have better results. The first is, simply, you’re not actually giving yourself many opportunities to meet women, and when you are, you’re making it harder on yourself for no reason. As a general rule, people tend to meet their partners through dating apps, through mutual friends, work, school or social settings. While percentages vary depending on how one frames the question or defines terms, a plurality-to-majority tend to meet in person, and almost always through shared commonalities – you work together, you have friends in common, you go to the same school and so on. These all make that initial connection easier, simply because you have those things in common; contrary to cliches and late 80s pop songs involving cartoon cats, opposites don’t attract. We like people who are similar to us; the more we have in common, the more we tend to like them. And – importantly – commonalities covers a lot of territory; it includes things like background, the region where you grew up, shared values, mutual interests and so on. If you’ve ever bonded with someone because you both had a great conversation about a topic you’re particularly into, you know precisely how this works. You work from home, which already restricts the number of people you come into contact with, and which means you have to put in additional effort in order to go meet people. You don’t go to bars or clubs, which is fine – that’s not how most people meet their partners… but they often do meet at parties, usually because there’s an overlap in social circles that brings them together. So while the “party scene” may not necessarily be your thing, getting friends together on the regular or going to friends’ parties and celebrations will increase the number of people you’re meeting and who are more likely to have things in common with you. After all, if our friends tend to be similar to us, then their other friends are likewise going to have a higher number of shared values, interests and backgrounds – increasing the likelihood that you and they would get along. The power of similarity and shared commonalities also comes into play when meeting complete strangers at social events or classes. Part of why we talk about having hobbies and passions you pursue is that these give you opportunities to meet other people who have the same interests – including people who you may well want to date. But the important part is to pursue things you actually enjoy and to do them because you enjoy them, not because you’re horny and looking to hook up. This is one of the reasons why you struck out at salsa and yoga; not only do you not enjoy those activities – which is going to put you in a less pleasant and agreeable mood – but these have become some of the cliches of modern dating. It’s hard to overstate how many women complain about men coming to dance classes or yoga, not because they want to learn how to dance or practice yoga, but to circle around all the women like horny sharks. The guys who do this are clearly only there to hit on women and inevitably make everyone uncomfortable. This means that women are less likely to want to talk to you and more likely to stop going entirely. It gets worse when you clearly don’t enjoy the activity or the subject. Not only is that going to affect your mood – which will have a negative effect on meeting people – but it makes it that much more obvious that you’re there to treat it like a sex ATM and not a class. That’s going to take people who already have a reason to be defensive and help ensure that they aren’t going to talk to you more than they absolutely must. That doesn’t mean that it’s not possible to meet women at dance classes or yoga or what-have-you; people do that all the time. The issue is that you are going about it in ways that stack up so many debuffs and disadvantages that you’re reducing your odds so much that I’m not sure science has numbers to calculate them. Now there are ways to leverage your interests. If you, for example, started taking a Pilates class – your gym may well have them – you’d be closer to an interest you already have (weight lifting), in an environment where you feel fairly comfortable. But you would have to go specifically because you want to add a new form of exercise to your workouts, not to get laid. As I said: women aren’t stupid and they can spot the horny dudebros right away. But by actually participating in the class and just making small talk – not asking people out but just getting to know them as – as you become a regular in the class, people will realize pretty quickly that you’re there for the right reasons. From there, it becomes a lot easier to get to know people, make friends and, if you and someone else catch a vibe, ask someone out to grab juice or coffee after class. However, these connections tend to come about far more organically and slowly, developing as you go from strangers to acquaintances, and I have to wonder if, based on a lot of what you say here, you’re coming off like a runaway bulldozer. A lot of guys act like this, just plowing through things with no control, care or precision. Part of it may be expecting things to be as quick or convenient as seeing sex workers. That’s great for immediate gratification, but less so when it comes to building social skills for meeting people you might want a relationship with. Very few people, after all, start a relationship with someone they just met or only met very recently. Even when meeting on dating apps, there tends to be a lot of talking and feeling one another out before the first official “date” happens. If you have a tendency to come in hot, you’re going to be failing the vibe check long before you even get to the part of saying “hey, I’m really enjoying talking to you, can I give you my number?” (Also, as a complete aside: you do realize that “many of these escorts were attracted to me” is functionally the same as “the stripper really likes me”, right? Sure, maybe you’re better looking than many of her clients, but you’re still a client and flattering the client’s ego is part of the job.) But I think the biggest issue is that, as happens so frequently, you’re wrong about what’s important to women. You, like so many men who’ve written in, are focused on qualities that other men think are important because those are qualities that men admire. In fact, the thing that drives me nuts about your letter is you are so very close to having a profound realization, and you keep missing the point. You even say it multiple times: you keep seeing happy couples where the man is “inferior” to you, and yet somehow you keep trying to double down on what’s not working. Have you considered that maybe, just maybe, you got this one wrong and need to change things up a little? Yeah, race is a factor, but being white isn’t the trump card for everything else. These guys – these schlubby short kings who don’t have six figure bank accounts – aren’t with their wives and girlfriends because they’re white enough that the rest doesn’t matter. Those women are with them because those guys have qualities that women want, and as it turns out, that doesn’t mean height, muscles and money. Is height attractive? Sure, lots of people like tall guys. But attractiveness isn’t the exclusive province of the tall. Internet Boyfriend Du Jour Pedro Pascal is 5’10”, and Oscar Isaac – last year’s model – is 5’9”; you would be hard pressed to find women who’d kick them out of bed because of some “you must be THIS tall to ride” sign by the door. The same with being jacked as hell. While women are visual creatures too and can appreciate a fit guy, they aren’t going to care about or wax rhapsodic over an incredibly developed back and traps, nor comment on them… but men sure as hell will. (Now, strong hands and forearms… wooooo nurse, that’ll get you places.) And as for being a millionaire by 40… I mean, good luck and God speed, but the people who are going to care most about that are people who are interested in money or being kept in a particular lifestyle to which they intend to become accustomed. Most women are going to be more concerned that you’ve got your shit together, you can cover your share of the bills and not wreck their credit rating. In fact, women are going to care a lot more about a guy who’s kind, who actually likes them and who makes them laugh and feel good. This is why you’ll see dudes who look like rats who got exposed to radioactive waste and sell meth behind the Waffle House between shifts who have a wait list for women who want to bang them, while there’re a lot of guys who supposedly check all the boxes spending their weekends alone. Being rich is nice, but it ain’t gonna make up for a lack of chemistry or social skills. Neither will height or muscles. Or, for that matter, not being a self-proclaimed narcissist with a chip on his shoulder, complaining about “inferior” men. (Also, you’re misinterpreting Buddhism and what desire being the cause of suffering is actually about, but that’s neither here nor there.) Seriously, 90% of your problem comes down to “I am narcissistic which probably developed from being socially isolated and alienated all my life and developing a me against the world mentality.” These are the things you should be working on, because I can promise you, women can sense this on you. There’s a lot of entitlement and resentment that’s radiating off you like stink lines off a cartoon character. That’s gonna make sex vanish like it got Thanos-snapped out of existence, no matter how yoked you are. Here’s the thing that you should know: all the sex-gettingest men I have met – who have had more partners than you’ve had hot dinners – have had in common: they genuinely like people. They’re fun to hang out with, they treat people well and folks enjoy their company. Some were fit, some were obese. Some were tall, some were 5’4” even in cowboy boots. Some were classically good looking and some had a face like a bulldog licking piss off a thistle. But while their charisma presented in different ways and their technique was as varied as the individuals themselves, they liked people. They were friendly, open and warm and rarely if ever lacked for a date on Saturday night. If you want to do better with women, I suggest you make getting over that bitterness a priority while also working on developing your social skills. Otherwise, you’re going to have gym-sculpted muscles, a lovely penthouse with prime views and every sports car you ever dreamed of… and absolutely nobody to share it with. Good luck. — This post was previously published on Doctornerdlove.com and is republished on Medium. — Subscribe to The Good Men Project Newsletter Email Address * Subscribe If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join us as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. Photo credit: iStock The post I’m Tall, Hot and Rich. Why Are Women Passing Me up for Inferior Men? appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

🎤 When the main chord is an AI power cord: Meet Oliver McCann, a guy who can’t sing, play or strum a guitar. But with a chatbot, he’s pumping out everything from indie pop to country rap. One track hit 3 million streams and landed him a record deal. Here’s what AI sounds like. Fake it until you stream it. The post When the main chord is an AI power cord appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

In our age of information overload — where every scroll brings a new urgent health warning or miracle cure — we’ve lost something essential: the ability to communicate what actually matters. Somewhere between clickbait headlines and academic jargon, practical wisdom has been buried under layers of hype, fear, and unnecessary complexity. The solution might be simpler than we think. It comes from an unexpected source: explaining gut bacteria to a curious three-year-old who just pretended to bite a hand that had touched a toilet seat. The Moment of Truth When a child grabs your hand after you’ve lifted a toilet seat and pretends to bite it, you have seconds to communicate something important. There’s no time for lectures about pathogenic microorganisms or statistics about infection rates. Just a simple truth: “Now the bacteria on the toilet seat are in your mouth.” The immediate spitting that follows isn’t fear — it’s understanding. The child has grasped cause and effect in its purest form. That moment reveals something profound about how we should evaluate all information: If you can’t explain it clearly enough for a curious child to understand and act on, there might be something wrong with the information — or with your understanding of it. The Problem with Our Information Diet We live in a culture where complexity is mistaken for credibility, scary headlines outperform useful guidance, and nuance — the part that actually makes information actionable — gets lost in the noise. Take nutrition, for example. Instead of simple guidance about eating in a balanced way, we’re bombarded with conflicting studies about superfoods, dire warnings about everyday ingredients, and miracle solutions that promise to transform your health overnight. The result? Analysis paralysis — and a population that’s over-informed yet under-educated about what actually works. The same goes for financial advice. Instead of teaching basic concepts like compound interest or emergency funds, we’re overwhelmed with stock predictions and jargon-heavy trends. Health news fixates on rare diseases and breakthrough treatments while ignoring sleep, hydration, and managing stress — things that actually move the needle for most people. Enter: The Three-Year-Old Filter What if we applied a “three-year-old filter” to the way we receive, share, and even generate information? Not to dumb things down — but to force clarity. To strip away what’s performative and highlight what’s practical. This filter has three parts: 1. Simplicity Without Oversimplification A child can understand that bacteria move from a dirty surface to their mouth. You don’t need to erase the concept of bacteria — you just need to explain the part that matters. The goal isn’t to avoid science; it’s to reveal the core mechanism. 2. Immediate Relevance Children are wired to ask: “What does this mean for me, right now?” Abstract possibilities and distant consequences don’t spark action. Information that passes this filter connects to something they can see, feel, or do — immediately. 3. Practical Application The most important question a child asks is: “So what do I do?” Information that can’t be translated into clear, direct action is likely less helpful than it seems. The toilet seat moment ended with: spit, rinse, wash hands. Why It Works Using this filter brings us face to face with several uncomfortable truths: Complexity Often Masks Shaky Understanding Experts who can’t explain something simply may not understand it fully themselves. Or worse, the science might be too weak to withstand scrutiny. True expertise shows up in the ability to distill, not dazzle. Fear Doesn’t Build Habits Scaring a child about germs might get them to comply once, but it won’t create lasting behaviour. The same goes for adults. Fear grabs attention, but understanding leads to action. Headlines Aren’t Enough A three-year-old will keep asking “why?” until the layers of a statement are exposed. It’s a childlike instinct we’d do well to adopt. Headlines don’t hold up to that kind of curiosity — and neither do many trendy life hacks. Practical Applications Applying this filter doesn’t mean we treat adults like kids. It means we start holding information to the same standard of clarity and usefulness that children instinctively demand. For Health Don’t ask, “Is this food good or bad?” Ask, “What does this mean for what I eat today?” Skip memorising antioxidants and focus on repeatable, useful patterns: Eat the rainbow Get your fiber Stay hydrated Sleep well For Finance Ignore market timing and hot tips. Focus on what works: Spend less than you earn Save for emergencies Invest consistently For Any Complex Topic Start with: What’s the one thing I can do today? If no clear answer emerges, the information probably needs reworking. The Antidote to Overwhelm The three-year-old filter isn’t about simplifying life to the point of absurdity. It’s about making wisdom useful again. It’s about choosing clarity over cleverness, understanding over memorisation, and habits over hype. In a world obsessed with sounding smart, the radical act might be to communicate so clearly that even a curious child could understand — and benefit. Because if your advice can’t pass the three-year-old test, maybe it’s time to revise it. The next time you’re hit with flashy advice or viral tips, pause and ask: Could I explain this to a child? Does it connect to something they can see or feel? Does it lead to action they could take right now? If not, maybe it’s time to look for better information. Or better yet — demand better explanations. Because often, the most sophisticated truths are the ones you can explain to a three-year-old. Just ask the kid who now knows to wash his hands after touching something yucky. — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: Habib Dadkhah on Unsplash The post Through the Filter of a Three-Year-Old: Making Information Practical Instead of Performative appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

Moscow has long warned that cutting its oil and gas will damage the bloc’s economy The European Union must permanently cut off all Russian energy imports, Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jorgensen has declared. Most EU countries have halted direct imports of Russian crude and gas under sanctions over the Ukraine conflict. However, Brussels continues to push for a full phase-out of Russian energy by the end of 2027 under its RePowerEU Roadmap. The plan calls for ending spot gas contracts, suspending new deals, limiting uranium imports, and targeting the so-called Russian “shadow fleet” of oil tankers allegedly used to bypass sanctions. Jorgensen, who has championed the plan for months, said the bloc must urgently agree on its framework and stick to it even after the Ukraine conflict ends. “For us the objective is very, very clear. We want to stop the import as fast as possible,” he told reporters in Copenhagen on Friday. “And in the future, even when there is peace, we should still not import Russian energy… In my opinion, we will never again import as much as one molecule of Russian energy once this agreement is made.” Jorgensen noted that the US has backed Brussels’ plans. President Donald Trump, frustrated with slow Ukraine peace talks, urged European allies on Thursday to halt Russian energy imports. The July trade deal between Washington and Brussels also included a pledge that the EU would replace Russian oil and gas with American LNG and nuclear fuel. Hungary and Slovakia, both heavily dependent on Russian supplies, have been the strongest opponents of the phase-out, arguing it would undermine the bloc’s security and raise prices. On Friday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto accused the EU of “hypocrisy,” saying many members still buy Russian crude through intermediaries even as they call for a phase-out. Jorgensen said he was in talks with Budapest and Bratislava but noted the plan can be approved without them, as it requires only a qualified majority. Moscow considers any restrictions targeting its energy trade illegal and has warned that abandoning its energy will drive up prices and weaken the EU’s economy by forcing it to rely on costlier alternatives or indirect Russian imports. View the full article

Somebody on one of the social media platforms that I subscribe to posed the question: “Do you love God?” I responded in the negative. The concept of “god(s)” is a human construction in the realm of the concepts of “race” and “gender roles.” Some people may claim that their conceptualization of “God” helps them cope with the struggles and changes in their lives within an unalterably changing and uncontrollable world. That’s fine for them. But I think that the concept of “God” was constructed to divide people by imposing a hierarchical positioning of people and groups into “us” (people who believe as I believe, the “ingroup”) versus “them” (the “others,” the marginalized, the heathens, the unbelievers, the “outgroup”). That question on social media could have asked whether we like the concept of “race” or “gender roles,” and I would have given the exact same response since all of these concepts divide people into hierarchical positions of power and privilege versus marginalization and oppression. “God” is certainly not in the same category of the natural elements of earth, water, fire, and air, which all living things on this planet have discovered uses for to sustain and enhance life. “Gods,” on the other hand, were invented by humans in their attempt to explain the mysteries of life and to justify their supposed place in the cosmos. Humans have raised ultimate questions as the world spins around, as individuals and nations since recorded history have attempted to explain the mysteries of life, as spiritual and religious consciousness first developed and carried down through the ages, as people have come to believe their way stood as the right way, the only way, with all others as simple pretenders, which could never achieve THE truth, the certainty, the correct and right connection with the deity or deities, and as individuals and entire nations raped, pillaged, enslaved, and exterminated any “others” believing differently. How many wars are we going to justify in the name of “God,” our “God” versus their so-called “false gods”? Someone said to me once that throughout the ages more people have been killed in the name of religion than all the people who have ever died of all diseases combined. I doubt whether this is actually true, but I do think it highlights a vital point: that we continually kill others and are killed by others over concepts that humans can never prove. Throughout history, Jews and Muslims have killed each other, Christians and Muslims have killed each other, Christians and Jews have killed each other, Hindus and Muslims have killed each other, Catholics and Protestants have killed each other, Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims have killed each other, many faith communities have killed Atheists and Agnostics, and on and on and on. In psychology, there is the notion that insanity is doing something over and over again while expecting different results. The insanity of the world continues because human beings do not know their history. They do not understand that we are doing something over and over again while expecting different results, namely, we are expecting peace to break out. Individuals and entire nations continue to believe that their reality fits all, and that it is proper and right to force their beliefs onto others “with God on our side.” In reality, all religious doctrine stems from uncertainty and conjecture, from multiple gods, hybrid gods and humans, to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, to the burning bush, to the covenant and the parting of the Red Sea, to the immaculate conception and resurrection, to Muhammad’s rising to heaven from the rock, to the golden tablets, all beginning with the humancreation of gods. So, rather than asking the question on social media, “Do you love God?,” I prefer to ask instead: “What do you think about any religion that justifies discriminatory treatment of other human beings?” — Subscribe to The Good Men Project Newsletter Email Address * Subscribe If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join us as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. Photo credit: iStock The post ‘God’ Is a Social Construction Like ‘Race’ and Gender Roles appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

Whack-a-stream: Cops just shut down a massive Streameast copycat that pulled 1.6 billion visits last year, more traffic than Twitter. The site streamed 10,000 illegal sports events and laundered $6.2M through a fake UAE company before Egyptian police raided it and arrested two guys. Plot twist: the real Streameast? Still online. Still streaming. The post Whack-a-stream appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

🌪️ Turn on emergency alerts: Your phone can warn you about severe weather or local threats. On Android: Go to Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings > Wireless emergency alerts and toggle on Allow alerts. On iPhone: Go to Settings > Notifications, then under Government Alerts, switch on Emergency Alerts and Public Safety Alerts. The post Turn on emergency alerts appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

“The most powerful forms of inequality in marriage are invisible— and emotional labor is at the heart of it.” —Nate Klemp PhD & Kaley Klemp Nate Klemp, PhD, and Kaley Klemp are a husband-and-wife team who’ve spent years researching what makes modern relationships work—and what quietly tears them apart. In their book The 80/80 Marriage, they challenge the outdated 50/50 fairness model and introduce a radical new approach rooted in generosity, structure, and shared success. It’s a practical blend of psychology, research, results from their personal surveys, and real-life strategies that address the invisible struggles couples face today. This book stood out to me because it doesn’t just diagnose the problems—it offers practical tools. From unspoken mental load and emotional labor to how we handle sex, time, and appreciation, it delivers insights every modern couple should hear. Here are the three takeaways that made the biggest impact on me. 1. Shift Your Mindset to Appreciation One of the biggest differences between thriving couples and struggling ones comes down to how they see their partner. According to relationship researcher John Gottman, masters of marriage constantly scan for things they can appreciate and express gratitude for, while disasters focus on what their partner is doing wrong. “Happy couples. In other words, see the world of their marriage through this lens of appreciation.” The research even boils it down to a ratio—healthy relationships maintain at least five positive interactions for every negative one. The good news? You don’t have to wait for appreciation to happen naturally—you can build it like any other habit. Start small: acknowledge the little things, like making coffee, handling the school drop-off, or planning a date night. Get specific, make it playful, and don’t be afraid to ask for appreciation when you need it. These positive interactions also include compliments, kisses, and gentle touches. The “Olympians” of healthy relationships had a 20-to-1 ratio of positive to negative interactions. “And that’s why Gottman claims the uncanny ability to predict with over 90% accuracy whether a couple will get divorced. It doesn’t matter what they’re fighting about. It doesn’t matter how often they have sex. It doesn’t even matter whether they are rich or poor. What matters is this invisible atmosphere of interaction. If a couple bounces back from conflict by redirecting their attention to appreciation and love they’re going to make it. If they’re stuck in a swirl of criticism, withdrawal, and indifference, they’re destined for divorce or a lifetime of chronic unhappiness.” When couples create a culture of noticing and verbalizing gratitude, it shifts the entire dynamic of the relationship for the better. My take: This is something that hit home with me. I do not express my appreciation as much as I should so I set a daily reminder in my phone to prompt me until that habit sticks. 2. Creating Space for Connection The biggest challenge for modern marriages? No space. Between work, kids, and never-ending to-do lists, couples often feel like they’re just co-managing life instead of truly connecting. The happiest couples don’t just wait for connection to happen—they build it into their daily, weekly, and yearly routines. The 80/80 model suggests structuring connection through three types of habits: Micro Habits: These are the small, everyday moments that strengthen a relationship, like taking a 10-minute walk together after dinner, greeting each other with a long hug, or doing a quick emotional check-in (“How are you really doing?”). They may seem small, but they add up over time. Medium Habits: These require a little planning, like weekly date nights, sneaking out of work early for a movie, or scheduling an uninterrupted hour to talk. One couple even had “Adult Swim” breaks—skinny dipping during the workday just to reset. Find what works for you and make it a ritual. Macro Habits: These are the big resets—vacations without the kids, weekend getaways, or even quarterly “off-the-grid” trips. Even one weekend a year of dedicated time together can make a huge difference in a marriage. Building connection doesn’t have to be overwhelming—it just needs to be intentional. Start with micro habits, add medium ones when you can, and aim for at least one macro habit each year. 3. Ending the Power Struggle Over Sex In many relationships, one partner tends to have a higher sex drive than the other, leading to a power imbalance that can create frustration, disconnection, or even resentment. Just like financial dynamics in a marriage, the key to balancing this isn’t about keeping score—it’s about adding structure and practicing radical generosity. The goal is to move away from a mindset of withholding or obligation and toward a mutual understanding that prioritizes connection. The book lays out four strategies for shifting sex from a battleground to a shared experience: Schedule It (Without Killing the Spark): Spontaneity is great, but life gets busy. Instead of treating sex like another task on the calendar, think of it as planning time to reconnect, whether that’s a date night, a long hike that leads back to an empty house, or a weekend away. The Sex Challenge: By intentionally shaking up the routine—whether it’s a one-week challenge or a longer commitment—couples remove sex as a point of negotiation and rediscover connection without the constant question of do we or don’t we? Orgasmic Altruism: Radical generosity applies to sex too. The high-drive partner can ease up on pressure and initiation, while the low-drive partner can be more open to exploring connection, even if they’re not immediately in the mood. Turning Rejection Into a Plan: Instead of a hard no, offering an alternative time (e.g., “Not tonight, but tomorrow”) eliminates uncertainty and prevents one partner from feeling permanently shut down. Related: Stop Telling Your Kids To “Be Careful” (& What To Do Instead) From Chaos To Calm: 17 Tips For Parenting Toddlers The 5 Principles Of Parenting: A Review & 3 Takeaways — This post was previously published on MINDYBODYDAD.COM — Subscribe to The Good Men Project Newsletter Email Address * Subscribe If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join us as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: iStock The post Sex, Time, and Appreciation in 80/80 Marriage | 3 Takeaways appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

The US recently deployed a large naval and air force not far from the South American country The US military is authorized to shoot down Venezuelan aircraft if commanders judge them a threat, President Donald Trump has said. His warning followed reports that Venezuelan aircraft had buzzed American warships taking part in what Washington describes as an anti-drug mission near the South American country. Asked by reporters on Friday what the US would do if Venezuelan jets fly near US naval vessels again, Trump warned that “they’re going to be in trouble.” “If they do put us in a dangerous position, we’ll shoot them down,” he stressed. Trump rejected claims by Caracas that Washington was seeking to topple the government of President Nicolas Maduro. “Well, we’re not talking about that, but we are talking about the fact that you had an election which was a very strange election,” he said. He instead framed the US military presence near Venezuela as part of a crackdown on drug trafficking. “Billions of dollars of drugs are pouring into our country from Venezuela. The prisons of Venezuela have been opened up to our country,” Trump said, adding that US forces would target boats suspected of carrying narcotics. In recent weeks, the US deployed at least eight warships and an attack submarine in the Caribbean, while sending ten F-35 stealth fighters to Puerto Rico to deter further Venezuelan flyovers. Earlier this week, the US struck a boat it claimed was linked to a drug operation, killing 11 people. As tensions with the US soared, Maduro warned that his country would move to a stage of “armed struggle” if it were attacked. Relations between the United States and Venezuela have been tense for years. Washington refused to recognize Maduro’s reelection in 2018, instead backing the country’s opposition. Successive US administrations have imposed sweeping sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector and financial system. In August, the US announced a reward of $50 million for any information leading to Maduro’s arrest, whom it labeled “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world.” The Venezuelan president rejected the allegation, saying his country is “free from coca leaf production [and] cocaine,” and is fighting against drug trafficking. View the full article

One of the most harmful ideas ever woven into society is the belief that it’s better to give than to receive. This single statement has shaped how countless people — especially heart-centered leaders — approach life, business, and success. Over the years, I’ve worked closely with some of the wealthiest and most generous people you could ever meet. These clients and friends have shown me firsthand that wealth and generosity are not opposites. In fact, those who have learned to receive fully are often the ones who give most abundantly. The myth that financial abundance requires taking from others, or that receiving inherently causes harm, simply isn’t true. I’ve seen far more destructive behavior from those struggling in lack than from those living in abundance. The real difference between those who continually struggle to create margin in their lives and those who thrive comes down to one thing — their relationship with receiving. The Three Steps to Creating Anything You Want There’s a simple creation process I teach at my two-day Choose Your Destiny Live Intensive — a process that can be applied to manifest anything you truly desire. Step One: Clarity of Vision. Most people never achieve what they want because they haven’t defined it clearly. They’re reacting to life instead of creating it. True clarity comes from going inward, listening deeply to the soul, and crafting a vivid picture of what your ideal life looks and feels like. Step Two: Certainty of Heart. Even with a clear vision, many people remain stuck because they doubt their ability to achieve it. Old stories, fears, and inner conflict cloud their belief in what’s possible. To move forward, you must dissolve these internal blocks. That’s why I developed The DRILL Method — a process for dropping into the body, recognizing stored emotions and beliefs, inquiring into their roots, letting them speak, and then letting them go. Each time you do this, you strengthen your certainty that what you desire is truly available to you. Step Three: Commitment to Receive. This is where most people stop short. They’ve done the inner work, they’re clear on their vision, but when opportunity comes, they hesitate. They feel guilty for wanting more. They wonder if they’ve earned it. They fear their gain will mean someone else’s loss. Without the willingness to receive fully, desires remain out of reach. Why Receiving Is Essential For over-givers, receiving can feel uncomfortable — even unsafe. Many of us were celebrated for selflessness but punished for wanting, asking, or accepting help. This conditioning wires the nervous system to equate giving with virtue and receiving with guilt or shame. But receiving is not selfish. It’s a vital act that enables greater generosity. When your life is full, your energy overflows. You give from inspiration, not depletion. Without the ability to receive, you operate from scarcity — and scarcity can’t sustain meaningful contribution. Over the years, I’ve watched clients master this process and watch their circumstances expand rapidly. Meanwhile, I saw my own patterns of self-sabotage — slowing down momentum, bringing success back to a “safe” baseline, and staying in the role of the constant giver. It wasn’t because I was incapable, but because I was resisting the very thing I wanted. It’s time for all of that to change for me. And it can change for you, too. Stepping Into Shameless Receiving When we drop the lie that giving is “better” than receiving, we make space for both to exist in balance. We learn that our wants matter, that our desires are valid, and that asking for and accepting abundance benefits everyone. This is the work I invite you into — strengthening your receiving muscle, dissolving guilt, and embracing the fullness of life without apology. With clarity of vision, certainty of heart, and a commitment to receive, you step into a life where your capacity for wealth, love, and freedom expands without limit. Receiving is not the opposite of giving — it is what allows your giving to be sustainable, joyful, and deeply impactful. Click here to join me at the next Choose Your Destiny Live Intensive and we’ll step into a more enriched life together. — This post was previously published on Inner Wealth. *** You may also like these posts on The Good Men Project: Escape the Act Like a Man Box What We Talk About When We Talk About Men Why I Don’t Want to Talk About Race The First Myth of the Patriarchy: The Acorn on the Pillow Subscribe to The Good Men Project Newsletter Email Address * Subscribe If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join us as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. Photo credit: iStock The post The Biggest Lie You’ve Ever Been Told appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

📱 I finally switched, and I’m not looking back. Same reliable coverage as the big guys but at a fraction of the cost. With Consumer Cellular, I’m getting two unlimited lines for just $60. Want in? Use code KIM25 at ConsumerCellular.com/KIM for $25 in savings, and make the smart switch today. The post I finally switched, and I’m not looking back appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

“Distance is not for the fearful, it is for the bold. It’s for those who are willing to spend a lot of time alone in exchange for a little time with the one they love.” — Meghan Daum Six months. That’s how long it took for me and my partner to meet again. Half a year of waiting, of holding our love through calls, texts, and stolen moments across a screen. It had been a tiring year filled with expectations, burnout, overthinking, and constant change. And yet, through all of it, the one thing that kept us sane was each other. The anticipation was high. I wondered endlessly- “How would it feel to touch him again?” “Would it be the same?” “Would it be different?” My mind played out a thousand scenarios. The excitement was electric, buzzing in my body like static. And then, finally, I saw him. But it wasn’t electric anymore. It was calm. Like coming home. His hands had the same warmth they always carried, but his presence felt even brighter somehow. Like time and distance hadn’t taken anything away, only deepened what was already there. And what struck me most was everything I could never capture on a call—his body language, the way he moved, the rhythm of his mannerisms, the little smiles that flickered across his face, the warmth of his skin, even his scent. These things don’t translate through a screen. They belong to real life. And I drank them in, every detail. All the love we had quietly stored away for months came flooding out in those days together, a kind of overflow. We knew we would eventually have to part again because life, because distance, but those days were gifts, ones we held tightly to keep us going. We fed each other. We woke up at 4 a.m. just to cuddle. We watched sunsets side by side and walked hand in hand through streets that suddenly felt magical simply because we were together. It was peaceful. It’s human tendency to cherish the things you have less of. But in that time, we promised ourselves that even after we close the distance, we would never take each other for granted. We planned in advance—not just the places we wanted to go or the food we wanted to try, but also small rituals that gave our time together shape. We wrote questions to ask each other in person, ones we had saved for months. We even had a “fake wedding,” exchanging vows that ended up feeling far too real. And of course, we didn’t follow every plan. But that wasn’t the point. The point was the intention, the thoughtfulness, the care. The more time we spent together, the more we wanted to. The more we realized that for us, the deepest love language wasn’t grand gestures, but it was quiet presence. Simply being there, fully. I had always thought of myself as someone who wasn’t into hugs or too much touch. But it turns out I was wrong. I just hadn’t found the person I could fully trust. When I was with him, I couldn’t stop. Touching, holding, curling into him. I felt complete in his arms— cliché, maybe, but true. And when we finally had to part, it hurt. Of course it did. It’s easy to get caught up in “how long until we’re together again” or “how to handle the next goodbye.” Instead, we focused on the moments we were sharing—walking, talking, laughing, and it made everything feel lighter and more joyful. The days we shared weren’t just memories, they were reminders. Reminders that the wait is worth it. That presence is love. That sometimes the most ordinary things like feeding each other, walking side by side, laughing at nothing are actually the most extraordinary. Because in long-distance love, you learn something profound: love isn’t measured by miles or months. It’s measured by the way your heart comes home, every time. -Anushka & Vishnu — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: Jonathan Borba on Unsplash The post The Reunion That Left Me Speechless After 6 Months appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

👱🏻‍♀️ Your profile pic matters: On LinkedIn, you’re 14 times more likely to get noticed with a clear, well-lit headshot. Selling on Facebook Marketplace? Don’t look too serious, it scares buyers off. And on dating apps, 40% of people say a smile is the first thing they notice. Call me Cupid … that’s more right swipes for you. Btw, you can post a job for free on LinkedIn using this link. The post Your profile pic matters appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

🏈 Fantasy football goes AI: This season, fantasy nerds are swapping gut calls for algorithms. They’ve built custom AI agents that crunch real-time data from ESPN, track injuries and even “scout” rivals by analyzing past moves (paywall link). Hey, this could be the start of smarter drafts and fewer Sunday meltdowns … if the bots actually deliver. The post Fantasy football goes AI appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

By Liam Gibson Divorce rates among Americans overall are in decline, except for one group – seniors. According to the latest National Center for Family & Marriage Research (NCFMR) data published in 2024, divorce rates among over-65s have tripled since the 1990s. As of 2022, they reached a new all-time high of 15% in 2022. This growing ‘gray divorce’ wave defies the broader trend and commonly held assumptions about the relationship between marriage longevity and divorce risk, prompting a rethink of what older Americans want in life and love. Divorce can take a heavy emotional, physical, and financial toll at any age. For many, the end of a marriage can be one of life’s most financially consequential events. In the twilight years of life, when divorced individuals don’t have decades more to rebuild, there is even more at stake. While circumstances differ, typically, both partners in a later-stage divorce experience a decline in their wealth of approximately half, according to NCFMR data. So, how can boomers avoid the pitfalls of divorce? Financial advisors offer insights into the phenomenon of ‘silver separations’ and share ideas that can help seniors steer clear of the most significant fiscal pitfalls. Never Too Old The ages and rates at which people marry and divorce have fluctuated substantially in recent decades. While the total US divorce rate peaked in 1980, that does not mean fewer people remain married. As the divorce rate has shrunk, so has the overall marriage rate, which hit an all-time low in 2019. In 1970, for instance, for every 1,000 unmarried adults, 86 got married, whereas in 2019, only 33 got married. Divorce among seniors may be more common, but it is no less daunting. “Most couples are worried about dividing marital assets after they pass 65,” says Myra Alport, Founder of Myra Alport Money Coach. “If both are retired, the retirement pot is only so big and thus has to be split according to state divorce laws.” This poses a conundrum. No one wants to outlive their money as they age, especially with a smaller nest egg. “The emotional toll of divorce clouds decision-making at any age, but the toll is greater for older clients, especially if the husband was the financial decision maker,” Alport continues. “My role as a coach is to listen and understand my clients’ greatest financial and emotional needs.” Seasons of Change It may seem counterintuitive for couples who have been together for decades to finally separate. Yet, for many couples, the transition into old age is a complete upheaval. Couples aged 55-70 are often retiring from work, seeing their children leave home, and handling health issues. These changes may disrupt their lifestyle and lead to the breakdown of their marriage. Decades of child-raising, steady work, and managing a busy household can mask deeper issues for many years. Long-simmering tensions often surface once the kids leave home and work slows down. Without the structure of daily obligations, they can give way to deeper questioning about their direction, which can cause them to question their future together. The ripple effects of a gray divorce can be just as destabilizing as those of younger-aged couples’ breakups. Even though children may have grown up and left the nest, the sudden split of their parents back home can profoundly alter their lives. “Late-stage divorce doesn’t just split assets; it can also split family relationships,” says Jordan Gilberti, Financial Planner at Sage Wealth Group. “It can strain relationships with adult children and complicate inheritance plans. It’s essential to communicate openly with family and update estate documents to reflect new realities.” “The ripple effects of divorce extend beyond the couple,” he continues. “Adult children may find themselves caught in emotional crossfire or facing altered inheritance expectations.” She’s Walking Out As with divorces at earlier ages, more often than not, it is the female partner who pulls the cord. A 2022 study by the Survey Center for American Life found that two-thirds of divorced women claim they initiated their split. “We don’t believe it’s because of a lack of love, but the weight of decades not being seen. Not being heard,” says Tj Binkowski, Owner of Narrow Road Financial Planning. Binkowski points to a revealing statistic cited in McKinsey studies: 70% of widows leave their husband’s financial advisor within a year of their spouse’s passing. “This could be ostensibly after being ignored and left out of financial conversations for decades,” he says. Binkowski says this points to deeper problems that are much deeper than legal or financial issues. “Advisors know the truth: The lonely, bored, and isolated make the worst financial decisions. And no portfolio rebalancing can fix some of the mistakes made later in life.” Women are also in a better place regarding financial independence, education, and career experience than in earlier decades, and older women are more likely to divorce with confidence. Financial services are increasingly tailored to the needs of women in this age group. “These days, Certified Divorce Financial Analysts (CDFA)—often women—are helping people take control of their finances during divorce,” says Jonathan Kolmetz, Founder of Oaks Wealth Management. “It’s a big shift from how things used to be, when some women didn’t know as much about the family’s money and maybe only visited the advisor once. Now, they’re showing up informed, asking smart questions, and working with professionals who are focused on helping them plan for what’s next.” Gray divorce is reshaping the way older couples approach their finances and relationships. As divorce rates rise among seniors, navigating this life transition with careful planning, open communication, and professional guidance from a divorce financial planner is crucial. Only by addressing both the financial and emotional aspects can couples protect their assets, maintain family harmony, and ensure a secure future for all involved. — This post was previously published on Wealth of Geeks. — Subscribe to The Good Men Project Newsletter Email Address * Subscribe If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join us as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: iStock The post Financial Experts Warn Seniors of Costly Consequences as Divorce Triples Among Older Americans appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

Brussels earlier accused the US company of anti-competitive practices in the ad tech market US President Donald Trump has threatened the EU with a probe that could lead to higher tariffs after the bloc fined Google for violating antitrust laws. The European Commission on Friday ordered the US company to pay a €2.95 billion ($3.5 billion) fine for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the advertising technology market by favoring its own display services. Regulators said the practice allowed Google to charge high fees, harming rivals and online publishers. The company was told to stop the “self-preferencing” practices, address conflicts of interest, and present a compliance plan within 60 days or face further penalties. Trump blasted the ruling in a post on Truth Social, calling it “unfair” and “discriminatory.” “Europe today hit another great American company, Google, with a $3.5 Billion Dollar fine, effectively taking money that would otherwise go to American Investments and Jobs,” he wrote. “We cannot let this happen to brilliant and unprecedented American Ingenuity and, if it does, I will be forced to start a Section 301 proceeding to nullify the unfair penalties.” Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act allows Washington to penalize foreign countries for practices deemed harmful to US commerce, including through tariffs. Trump has criticized the EU for targeting US tech giants with privacy and antitrust rules stricter than those in America. His latest warning comes weeks after securing a trade deal that imposed a 15% tariff on most EU exports while scrapping tariffs on US industrial goods. The deal drew backlash from EU officials, who said it favored Washington. Google rejected the commission’s ruling and vowed to appeal. Google reported $264.6 billion in ad revenue in 2024 – 75.6% of its total income – cementing its status as the world’s largest advertising firm. The latest fine is the fourth penalty the EU has levied against it since 2017. Google also faces a trial in the US later this month over a separate Justice Department case in which a judge found it held illegal monopolies in online advertising technology. View the full article

Jesse Watters warned that Power of Siberia 2 could meet the same fate as the sabotaged Nord Stream “Someone” could blow up Russia’s planned gas pipeline to China to derail the energy cooperation between the two countries, conservative Fox News host Jesse Watters has suggested. Speaking on air on Thursday, Watters said Russian President Vladimir Putin had “lost his customers in Europe” after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 and unprecedented Western sanctions, and was now turning to Asia. He described the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline as a key element of that strategy. “Putin’s putting down a big old pipeline to China. It’s supposed to be finished next decade and supply 15% of China’s energy. Russia and China are growing closer. Someone might have to bomb that pipeline like Nord Stream,” Watters told viewers. He did not elaborate on who could want to destroy the project. Earlier this week, Russia announced that Moscow and Beijing had signed a memorandum on the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, designed to bring up to 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually to China via Mongolia. It is expected to be launched in 2033. According to Putin, the project “is not charity” but rather a mutually beneficial agreement under which gas will be supplied at market-based rates. Russian officials did indicate, however, that gas prices for China would be lower than for the EU market, mostly due to the easier logistics. They also rejected the notion that Russia was reorienting itself toward the East, stressing that Russia is open to cooperation with all willing parties. The Nord Stream pipelines were severely damaged by undersea explosions in the Baltic Sea in September 2022 in what is widely believed to have been an act of sabotage. American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh suggested the attack was orchestrated by US intelligence services under the administration of former US President Joe Biden. Russian officials have supported Hersh’s version. While the US denied any involvement, mere weeks before the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, Biden warned that “if Russia invades... there will be no longer Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it.” View the full article

Fine art photographer Elizabeth Waterman discusses her analog strike film portraits that challenge stereotypes surrounding sex work and transgender identity—primarily through her work with Thailand’s kathoey, commonly known as ladyboys. Waterman discusses the barriers faced by transgender women in Thailand, including the inability to legally change their gender and limited job opportunities that often push them into nightlife or sex work. Her advocacy centers on the Gender Recognition Act, a prospective bill held up in the Thai parliament. Through her book Moneygame Thailand and an upcoming TV doc-follow Moneygame: Ladyboys of Pattaya , she hopes to raise international awareness and foster meaningful legal reform. Katoeys-R-Us, Pattaya City, Thailand. Walking Street. Ladyboy bar. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: So today, we’re here with Elizabeth Waterman. She’s a Los Angeles-based fine art photographer known for her analog film-based work that challenges societal narratives surrounding sex work, subcultures, and female empowerment. Born in Taos, New Mexico, she earned a BA in Fine Art from the University of Southern California before immersing herself in documenting the lives of adult entertainers and performers. Waterman’s striking portraits capture the raw humanity of dancers, transgender sex workers, and artists, emphasizing their strength and dignity while shedding light on the often-unseen realities behind the scenes. Her internationally exhibited images explore the intersections of art, identity, and representation, offering rare, humanizing perspectives that powerfully transcend stereotypes. Thank you for joining me today. I know your photography carries a humanitarian and advocacy element—especially in the Ladyboys project—so that might be of personal significance to you as well. To begin with, not everyone is familiar with the term ladyboy, and many don’t have a humanizing or accurate image of who they are. So, how would you define the term, and what does the lived reality look like—apart from the stereotype? Elizabeth Waterman: In Thailand, ladyboys are the common English term used to refer to kathoey, a Thai cultural identity referring to transgender women or effeminate male-presenting individuals. While not all Thai transgender women identify as kathoey, and the term can have nuanced meanings, it is widely used in both Thai society and internationally. Jacobsen: In terms of stereotypes, what are the common misconceptions people have about kathoey, and what realities help debunk those myths? Waterman: It’s an important point. In Thailand, ladyboys can be marginalized and are sometimes subject to stereotypes—portrayed as overly flamboyant, deceitful, or associated with nightlife and sex work. These portrayals overlook the complexity of their identities and lives. There’s a general lack of understanding about their social roles, professional diversity, and legal status. Jacobsen: A natural follow-up would be: how does public acceptance shift once people gain a better understanding? Waterman: Well, I began visiting Thailand about two years ago to photograph nightlife entertainers. Many of them were ladyboys—transgender women working in various nightlife roles such as cabaret performers, escorts, go-go dancers, and massage therapists. Through spending time with them, I was able to see the full spectrum of their humanity and experiences—not just what people typically associate with them. My goal was to create portraits that convey their dignity, resilience, and individuality. As I got to know the ladyboys, I learned more about their lives, and I became aware of the fact that transgender women in Thailand—including ladyboys—do not have the legal right to change their gender. If someone is assigned male at birth, that designation remains on their birth certificate for life. They cannot change it to female. As a result, their employment opportunities are severely limited. Many corporate or public-facing jobs require individuals to present and dress according to the gender on their official documents. As a result, many ladyboys are effectively pushed into nightlife work—cabarets, go-go dancing, escort work—not necessarily by choice but because other paths are institutionally blocked. You have ladyboys of all ages who might want to pursue careers in medicine, journalism, education—anything really—but they often end up in the entertainment or sex industries because those are the spaces where their gender identity is more accepted, or at least tolerated. Right now is a critical time, there exists a significant opportunity for change. A bill called the Gender Recognition Act was introduced in the Thai parliament in early 2024. If passed, it would allow transgender individuals, including ladyboys, to change their gender markers legally. This would open pathways for broader employment, reduce discrimination, and improve legal protections. You may or may not be aware, but it’s an essential time for LGBTQ+ rights in Thailand. In 2024, Thailand’s parliament approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage—a historic achievement that made international headlines. However, this Gender Recognition Act has not received nearly the same level of attention. I’m a big advocate for its passage. These are beautiful, resilient women. I’m currently working on a photo book called Moneygame Thailand, which features portraits of many ladyboys I’ve met and worked with. I’m also developing a TV docu-follow show focused on their lives and experiences. More than anything, I want to bring international attention to this bill. It has been stalled in Thai parliament, and global awareness could help get it moving again. Jacobsen: A lot of legal and policy changes tend to come on the heels of broader social shifts. What, in your view, was happening in Thai culture that enabled a bill like this to be proposed in the first place? Waterman: It followed the momentum of the same-sex marriage bill. That took a long time to pass. In its wake, the Gender Recognition Act emerged as a logical next step in expanding rights for the LGBTQ+ community in Thailand. But so far, it has not succeeded. It’s struggling to gain the same level of support or attention. Jacobsen: Are there other explicit laws that restrict equal rights for ladyboys beyond the lack of legal gender recognition? Waterman: This law specifically deals with legal gender identity, yes. But broader rights issues exist. For example, if a ladyboy is arrested, she must be placed in a men’s prison, where she may face harassment or abuse. That’s a serious and often overlooked consequence of legal non-recognition. Then there’s the issue of mandatory military service. In Thailand, all males are required to register for conscription. Kathoey must attend these check-ins and try to obtain an exemption. It’s a stressful and often humiliating process. They have to travel long distances, sometimes missing work, and navigate a bureaucratic system that doesn’t acknowledge their gender identity. In that sense, it’s almost the reverse of the situation in the United States—where transgender individuals sometimes fight for the right to serve openly in the military. In Thailand, ladyboys often struggle to avoid conscription altogether. Jacobsen: That’s a strange asymmetry—or maybe an inverse symmetry is more accurate. Waterman: Yes, exactly. It’s quite different. Jacobsen: When you were doing your photographic work within these communities, how did you approach it in a way that captured the reality of their lives while still humanizing them—and without reinforcing the very stereotypes you were trying to challenge? Waterman: Well, with my subjects, I always try to get to know them personally and build relationships over time. I’ve traveled to Thailand four times now, photographing some of the same individuals on each of my visits. I’ve also been privileged to peek into their personal lives—photographing them at home, learning about their hobbies, meeting their families. I’ve spent time with them outside of work, not just in the clubs where they perform. That’s important—seeing them as full human beings rather than just their roles in nightlife. I also try not to focus my lens too heavily on the granular details of their jobs or on the sex work itself. Instead, I approach the work holistically—capturing who they are as people, their friendships, their families, their goals, and their dreams. I conduct extensive interviews with each subject, which gives me deeper insight. To help build trust and improve communication, I’ve also been learning to speak Thai. It’s been a small but important project—probably about three years of lessons, once a week. So, maybe not 800 hours, but I’m working on it. I’m at a basic Thai level at the moment. It’s a difficult language, but the effort has helped enormously. Jacobsen: When you’re conducting in-depth interviews, observing how people interact, and creating humanizing photographic work, you’re essentially building comprehensive case studies on each person. So, within that, what have you noticed in terms of commonalities with mainstream Thai culture, and what are some idiosyncrasies that distinguish the ladyboy experience? Waterman: You mean commonalities between all ladyboys and then between ladyboys and the general population? Jacobsen: Everyone is a cross-section of everyday life—everyone pays bills, sleeps, eats, and so on. Therefore, there is a baseline of shared human experience. But what are some of the deeper cultural commonalities and the more distinctive realities faced by ladyboys in Thailand? Waterman: One of the most defining experiences for ladyboys is their limited access to employment. That’s the biggest commonality among them. At the same time, they may be culturally visible—Thailand is often thought of as relatively tolerant—but there are still significant limitations. They’re often funnelled into nightlife jobs. Some may find work at cosmetics counters in department stores, but the options are narrow. That shared economic constraint defines much of their lives. Jacobsen: That answers it. Economics is central in nearly every society. As far as I know, there’s no socialist utopia out there—so when income is restricted, that has ripple effects. How does this financial limitation affect ladyboys’ access to education, healthcare, travel, and other necessities like dental care, housing, or even food? To give an example, in some places, people with limited income and disabilities often end up living with others out of necessity. They rely more on social capital than on financial capital. Is that true for ladyboys, too, especially those working in nightlife, dancing, or sex work? Waterman: Yes, very much so. Many ladyboys rely on their communities, their chosen families, and their support networks to survive. When you don’t have access to stable income, it’s hard to afford education or medical care—including gender-affirming healthcare, which is expensive. Travel and even basic needs can be a challenge. So, you often find these informal support systems—people living together, sharing resources, and helping each other through tough times. It’s a kind of grassroots solidarity, and it’s essential for their survival. Many of them are also sending money home to their families, which adds another layer of pressure. That also affects their routines—many are working on a 16:8 day-night cycle, meaning they’re up through the night and sleep most of the day. Ladyboys rarely pursue higher education, not because of a lack of interest but because they don’t have the time or money. They often live hand-to-mouth, and any extra income typically goes to supporting their families. Although many would love to study or advance their skills, they often lack the necessary resources. That’s a common thread with sex workers in general: there’s limited upward mobility. Many people stay in the same job for years because it does not pay well or offer a clear path forward. There is also a deep familial obligation in Thai culture, closely tied to Buddhist values. When someone earns money—especially in working-class or marginalized communities—it’s expected that they send funds back to their families. For ladyboys, this often means supporting parents or siblings. For cisgender women in sex work, it might mean supporting their children or aging parents. So ladyboys tend to stay in nightlife and entertainment for a long time. Again, it’s a job that’s difficult to exit. And unfortunately, there is a higher incidence of substance abuse. Since they work at night, in clubs or go-go bars, they often have to drink as part of the job—either to entertain customers or to cope with the stress and emotional toll. Over time, this can lead to dependence. Their schedules are demanding. They usually work from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m., then sleep during the day. Their lives become entirely focused on work and rest, with very little time for anything else. It becomes a cycle—work, drink, sleep—making it even harder to step back and think about long-term goals or changes. Nat, Bam, and Faye live in a one-bedroom apartment in Pattaya City, Pattaya. They work as GoGo dancers on Walking Street. Jacobsen: That answers the question—and also brings up a comparative angle. I’ve talked to some colleagues informally—not as part of an interview—but they’ve brought up different models of sex work. For instance, the Nordic model is often cited as an alternative that aims to reduce harm. That’s the one where sex work itself is decriminalized, but buying sex is criminalized. What are the current laws and protections in place for ladyboys in Thailand? If any. And what kinds of policy provisions or support systems do you think could help protect them, particularly from negative mental health impacts or abuse? Because as you’ve noted, many are using substances to cope with very real physical and emotional stressors—whether it’s from long, difficult hours or violent or unstable clients. So what could be done? Waterman: Many ladyboys working in nightlife are performing aspects of their jobs outside the protection of the law. For instance, they may be gainfully and legally employed at a go-go bar, but any services they provide outside of that context—like escorting—are not legally protected. There is no legal recourse if something goes wrong. If a client fails to pay or becomes abusive, there is no legal framework to support or protect them. Now, while ladyboys working inside clubs might have some basic protections through their employers, if they also provide services independently—say, meeting clients outside the club—then they’re vulnerable. And again, there’s no legal avenue to pursue justice if something goes wrong. Because of this, ladyboys often rely on community-based protection. Their community becomes their safety net. For example, in places like Pattaya City—one of the hubs of Thailand’s sex tourism—you might see freelance escorts lined up along the beach path. There might be one ladyboy acting as a kind of watchdog, looking out for the group and making sure no one is harassed. Sometimes, they move in groups of 10 or more to help protect one another. So, in the absence of state or institutional support, ladyboys depend heavily on one another. It’s a grassroots system of mutual care and security. Jacobsen: If legal protections were put in place—say, if sex work were decriminalized or regulated—do you think that would improve conditions? Or would the transient nature of the clientele in sex tourism make enforcement difficult? Waterman: That’s a complex question. You’re right that sex tourism involves a highly transient client base—people are there and then gone. That makes accountability difficult. And we’re also talking about a broader system that doesn’t just affect ladyboys but also cisgender women working in the industry. Therefore, it’s a massive and nuanced issue that would require significant legal and cultural shifts to address meaningfully. But the one thing I want to emphasize right now is the Gender Recognition Act—because that’s a concrete piece of legislation that’s already in parliament. It has been approved by public consensus and supported by the major political parties, and it’s now awaiting full passage by parliament. It’s been sitting there for a couple of years now, so there’s real potential for it to pass soon. If enacted, it would allow transgender individuals—including ladyboys—to change their gender marker legally. That could open up access to a whole range of rights and protections. It’s a major step forward. As for addressing sex work itself—that’s a much bigger legal and cultural issue, and again, not one that impacts ladyboys alone. It affects all sex workers, including cisgender women, so it’s a separate conversation. But yes, in terms of improving the lives of ladyboys, especially those working in sex work, the Gender Recognition Act could be transformational. It would provide access to better employment opportunities, healthcare, and legal protections. Jacobsen: How would you compare the legal status and rights of ladyboys in Thailand to transgender women elsewhere—say, in the United States? Waterman: Well, in some respects, transgender rights in the U.S. are more advanced. For example, trans people can legally change their gender markers on official documents. That’s still not the case in Thailand. However, the U.S. has also experienced significant regression, particularly during the Trump administration. There were rollbacks on trans protections in healthcare, education, and the military. Therefore, while there may be more legal options in the U.S., the prevailing political climate has created its own set of challenges. Trans rights vary significantly around the world. I’m not deeply schooled in the nuances of every country’s legal framework, but one major difference between the U.S. and Thailand is this: in the U.S., transgender people can legally change their gender marker. They might also have access to gender-affirming surgeries through health insurance—though that’s not always guaranteed, of course. In Thailand, there’s no legal avenue to change your gender on official documents, and any public insurance does not typically cover gender-affirming procedures. From a legal and institutional standpoint, Thailand is significantly more restrictive. Also, although discrimination still exists in the U.S., trans individuals should be able to pursue employment in any field. That’s at least the legal principle, even if it’s not always upheld in practice. In Thailand, it’s very different. In most conventional jobs—what you might call “straight jobs”—you’re expected to dress and present as the gender listed on your birth certificate. That disqualifies many ladyboys from pursuing those positions. Jacobsen: Are suicide rates, self-harm, or depression high among ladyboys? Do we have data? Waterman: I don’t have concrete statistics on that, so I wouldn’t want to speculate irresponsibly. However, I can share the emotional patterns and themes that emerged during my in-depth interviews. Many ladyboys express hope. A lot of them have a clear goal: to save enough money to leave the nightlife or sex industry and find a more stable life. That dream of exit—of eventually moving on—is very common. At the same time, these goals often feel far-fetched or far away to the ladyboys themselves—they experience a real sense that there are no clear pathways to achieve that dream. The barriers feel enormous. However, there is also a strong current of resilience. Many speak warmly about their friendships with other ladyboys. These relationships are a major source of emotional strength. That shared bond is powerful. There’s another layer, too. Stereotypically—and with some truth—ladyboys are known for being fun, playful, and even a bit aggressive in their energy. There’s a rowdy, extroverted culture in some of these communities, particularly among those working in nightlife. They joke with each other and with customers. That kind of boldness is often associated more with masculinity, not femininity, which creates a social dynamic that’s hard to classify. Jacobsen: So it’s a mix of masculine and feminine energies—culturally coded ones, at least. Do you think that personality style—being playful and assertive—is connected in part to biology? Higher testosterone levels, for instance? Waterman: Yes, I do. I’ve always thought that’s part of it. Some ladyboys probably do have more testosterone in their systems than cisgender women, and that might contribute to that particular energy—more assertiveness, more playfulness, and that bold presence you see in nightlife spaces. Jacobsen: Let’s pivot slightly to governance. When a new administration comes into power in Thailand—say a different executive government—does that shift the direction of judicial decisions or affect whether certain bills get passed into law? Or are these different branches more independent from one another? Waterman: I don’t know that I can speak with authority on the entire structure, but the Thai political system is complex. It’s not always clear how independent the branches are. But I can point you toward some useful resources. There are two key individuals involved in the Gender Recognition Act: Kittinun Daramadhaj, aka “Danny,” the lawyer and activist who drafted the bill. He’s a personal contact of mine and is extremely dedicated to advancing the bill. Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat, the Member of the House of Representatives of Thailand who helped to pass Thailand’s Equal Marriage Law and then officially brought the Gender Recognition Act bill forth to Thai Parliament in 2024. I’ll send you Facebook links for both of them. And for context, the People’s Party is the political party supporting the bill. It’s a progressive, socially democratic party advocating for reforms in several areas, including LGBTQ+ rights. Jacobsen: So if this bill is coming out under a progressive party like the People’s Party, you could make the case that their political leadership—relative to Thailand’s general political climate—helps explain its emergence. It’s a correlation, of course, not necessarily causation, but it does hold up. Waterman: Yes, I became more of a journalist through working on this project. My background and training are in fine art photography, but as I started to connect more deeply with ladyboys and people like Danny, who drafted the Gender Recognition Act, I began learning about the legal aspects. That’s when I became invested in understanding the policy implications. Jacobsen: That’s all fascinating. And the photos are excellent, too. Waterman: Thank you. Yes, I’m very proud of them. They’re powerful. They capture these women in a way that’s real and respectful. Jacobsen: So, what’s the current holdup on the bill? Waterman: The holdup is in Thai Parliament. For the Gender Recognition Act to pass, it has to clear many hurdles including: public support, party support, and parliamentary approval. The public and the parties are already on board—the delay is with the more conservative members of Parliament. I firmly believe that if there were more international attention on this bill—if it were better publicized—it would move forward. Thailand wants to be seen as progressive. They don’t want to be known for holding back LGBTQ+ rights. The problem is that even many ladyboys in Thailand don’t know about the bill. There is not enough public awareness. Jacobsen: That tracks with many countries. Most people don’t follow legislation closely unless it’s election season—or until the law has already passed. Waterman: It’s the same story with marriage equality. Everyone knows about the Equal Marriage Law because it made international news when it passed in 2024, but it had been years in the making. It was a huge deal when it passedl. It gave the impression that Thailand was incredibly progressive on LGBTQ+ issues. And while it is a step forward, there are still major gaps—like the lack of legal gender recognition for transgender people. That’s what I want to shine a light on. Through my TV show and photo book, I aim to raise global awareness about this issue. I want the international community to see that while Thailand has made progress, there’s still urgent work to do—especially when it comes to transgender rights. Jacobsen: Many reforms don’t move forward until the public applies pressure or international attention creates a mirror effect. There’s a lot of performative politics, too—on all sides. However, once a policy is passed and becomes normalized, people usually return to their daily lives. It’s like marriage equality in the United States. It was controversial for a time, but after it passed, most people realized it had no real impact on their marriages—especially not on straight, cisgender, or religious unions. It became part of the new normal. Waterman: The same would happen here. If the Gender Recognition Act passes, ladyboys could have real options—working at a bank, attending university, pursuing careers that aren’t limited to escorting, go-go dancing, or offering adult massages. That kind of choice is what’s really at stake. Jacobsen: Thailand, geographically and conceptually, is somewhat similar to the Philippines for North Americans—we know it’s there, we have vague ideas, but we don’t know much about it. It feels distant and unfamiliar. Waterman: That’s true. It’s foreign to most. But it’s such an amazing place. I love it. Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country that was never colonized, and this fact is a source of tremendous national pride. Buddhist values are deeply embedded in the culture, and there is so much beauty—culturally, spiritually, and artistically. That’s part of why I want to bring more attention to it through my work—not just the adult industry or ladyboys, but the country itself. I love the ladyboys. I want to help improve their lives. This matters to me. Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Elizabeth. — Scott Douglas Jacobsen is the publisher of In-Sight Publishing (ISBN: 978-1-0692343) and Editor-in-Chief of In-Sight: Interviews (ISSN: 2369-6885). He writes for The Good Men Project, International Policy Digest (ISSN: 2332–9416), The Humanist (Print: ISSN 0018-7399; Online: ISSN 2163-3576), Basic Income Earth Network (UK Registered Charity 1177066), A Further Inquiry, and other media. He is a member in good standing of numerous media organizations. *** If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project and want a deeper connection with our community, please join us as a Premium Member today. Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. — Image Credit: Elizabeth Waterman. The post Ladyboys in Thailand, Trans Rights, and the Fight for Legal Recognition appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Short on laptop ports? Grab a USB hub to charge devices and connect keyboards, mice or drives. Some even come with SD card readers and 3.5mm audio outputs. We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective. The post 3-second tech genius appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

💻 Smile, you’re on candid malware: Remember when you’d get an email that you were recorded on your webcam watching porn but the threat was a fake? It’s now real. New malware called Stealerium watches for NSFW sites, then screenshots your screen and snaps a pic through your webcam. It sends both to a hacker, who likely will use them for blackmail. Reminder: Cover your webcam; a pack of covers is less than 5 bucks. We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective. The post Smile, you’re on candid malware appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

Every Friday night across America, parents fill stadium bleachers to cheer on their teenage athletes. But beneath the excitement lies a neurological reality that most families never consider: when your teen gets “dinged” on the field, their brain begins a complex cascade of events that can alter how they think, learn, and function for months or even years to come. As a functional neurologist who has treated many different types of brain injuries, I’ve seen firsthand how what appears to be a “minor” concussion can derail a young person’s academic performance, emotional stability, and future potential. An estimated 1.6 to 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur annually in the U.S., with high school athletes sustaining approximately 300,000 concussions per year. But these numbers only tell part of the story. The real danger lies in what’s happening inside the teenage brain after that first hit, and why each subsequent concussion becomes exponentially more devastating. The Energy Crisis No One Talks About When most people think about concussions, they picture obvious symptoms: seeing stars, feeling dizzy, or losing consciousness. But the most dangerous effects of a concussion are invisible, happening at the cellular level in a process I call the “energy crisis.” Here’s what actually occurs when your teen’s brain gets jolted: The impact disrupts blood flow, even briefly, causing brain cells to lose their primary fuel source, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Think of trying to start your car with no gas in the tank. That’s essentially what happens to millions of brain cells simultaneously. But it gets worse. This energy shortage triggers a domino effect of cellular dysfunction: Glutamate Flooding: Without adequate energy, brain cells release excessive amounts of glutamate, a neurotransmitter that becomes toxic in high concentrations. This glutamate flood can drive seizure activity and cause free radicals to accumulate, creating additional brain damage. Ion Channel Disruption: The energy crisis scrambles the delicate balance of calcium, potassium, and sodium that brain cells need to function. When these ion gradients become imbalanced, neurons begin firing randomly – which is why roughly 70% of the brain injury patients I treat develop seizure activity, often months after their initial injury. The No-Reflow Phenomenon: Perhaps most insidiously, the brain’s attempt to fix itself often makes things worse. After the initial injury restricts blood flow, the brain panics and floods the area with blood during what we call “reperfusion.” Then, trying to correct this overcorrection, it cuts off blood flow again. This oscillation between too much and too little blood flow can continue for days, weeks, or months after the original hit, causing ongoing damage long after the player has returned to the field. Why Teenage Brains Are Sitting Ducks The adolescent brain presents a perfect storm of vulnerability that most parents and coaches don’t understand. Unlike adult brains, teenage brains are still under construction (they won’t finish developing until the mid-twenties). This ongoing development requires enormous amounts of energy. When I examine teenage athletes after concussions, I often find something alarming: primitive reflexes have returned. These are reflexes we’re born with that should disappear as our brains mature, like the Palmer reflex, where stroking a baby’s palm causes their fingers to curl. When I can trigger these reflexes in a 16-year-old football player, it tells me their brain has actually regressed to a more primitive state of functioning. This is why your straight-A teen can’t focus, why your even-tempered kid is suddenly explosive. Their brain has literally gone backwards developmentally, forced to operate on emergency power while trying to heal from injury. According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, one in five teens reports having had at least one concussion. But the real number is likely much higher, since more than 50% of concussions in teens go unreported because the teenager doesn’t recognize the symptoms or fears losing playing time. The Compound Effect: Why Second Hits Are Exponentially Worse Here’s where functional neurology reveals something crucial that traditional sports medicine often misses: each subsequent concussion doesn’t just add to the damage: it multiplies it. Dads especially, this is where the old ‘tough it out’ playbook fails. What looks like grit on the field can mask real neurological damage that may cost your child far more than a game. I recently treated a 17-year-old soccer player (let’s call her Sarah) who had sustained three “minor” concussions over two seasons. Her parents brought her to me because her grades had plummeted, she was having panic attacks, and she’d developed a tremor in her left hand. When I tested her primitive reflexes, nearly all of them were present. Her brain was functioning like a toddler’s, not a nearly-adult’s. Brain scans showed that Sarah’s brain was stuck in what we call a “chronic inflammatory state.” The energy crisis from her first concussion had never fully resolved before her second hit, and the third had pushed her nervous system into a protective shutdown mode. She couldn’t sleep properly, her digestive system was malfunctioning, and she was developing autoimmune responses where her own immune system was attacking healthy brain tissue. This is the hidden danger of repeated concussions: the brain’s remarkable ability to heal itself (called neuroplasticity) becomes progressively compromised with each injury. The developing teenage brain, which should be forming new connections and pathways at a rapid pace, instead gets trapped in a cycle of damage and incomplete repair. Critical Warning Signs Every Parent Must Know Before diving deeper into the neurological mechanisms, here’s what every parent and coach needs to understand about concussion symptoms and safety: Symptoms Can Appear Hours or Days Later Don’t assume your teen is “fine” because they seemed okay immediately after the hit. Concussion symptoms often have a delayed onset and can include: Headaches and dizziness Nausea and vomiting Sensitivity to light or noise Confusion and memory problems Irritability and mood changes Sleep disturbances Seizures (even months later) The Second-Hit Danger Zone Returning to play too soon puts teens at risk for second impact syndrome—a rare but often fatal brain swelling that occurs when a second concussion happens before the first has healed. This is why the “tough it out” mentality can be deadly. What Teachers and Coaches Need to Know: Always inform school staff when your teen has sustained a concussion. What looks like behavioral problems or academic laziness may actually be: Concentration difficulties from brain fog Mood swings from neurological dysfunction Declining grades from memory and processing issues When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention: Repeated vomiting Seizures of any kind Severe or worsening headaches Loss of consciousness (even briefly) Extreme confusion or disorientation Slurred speech Weakness or numbness in limbs The Neurological Red Flags Parents Miss Beyond these immediate safety concerns, as a functional neurologist, I can teach parents to recognize the subtle signs that their teen’s brain is struggling: Primitive Reflex Return: If your teenager startles easily at sounds that never bothered them before, their Moro reflex (a startle reflex that should have integrated in infancy) may have returned. This suggests their brainstem is compromised. Sleep Pattern Disruption: The teenage brain does crucial repair work during sleep. If your teen suddenly can’t fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake up refreshed, their brain’s recovery systems may be malfunctioning. Sensory Processing Changes: Does your teen suddenly complain that normal classroom lighting is “too bright” or that they can’t handle crowded, noisy places? This suggests their sensory processing systems have become hypervigilant: a sign their brain is stuck in a protective state. Academic Performance Decline: When parents tell me their child was a straight-A student before their concussion but now struggles to focus on homework, I know we’re dealing with prefrontal cortex dysfunction. This isn’t laziness, it’s neurological damage. The Seizure Connection No One Discusses One of the most concerning aspects of repeat concussions that rarely gets discussed is the dramatically increased seizure risk. Children with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury have a 20-fold increased risk of developing epilepsy compared to those without brain injury. But here’s what’s truly frightening: seizures from concussions don’t always look like the dramatic convulsions people expect. They can present as: Sudden “spacing out” episodes Unexplained drops in academic performance Personality changes or sudden mood swings Sleep disturbances or night terrors I’ve treated teenage athletes who developed seizure disorders months after their “minor” concussions, often triggered by the ion channel disruptions I mentioned earlier. Their parents had no idea that the random angry outbursts or the sudden inability to concentrate in math class were actually seizure activity. Beyond Rest: What Real Recovery Requires The old protocol of “rest until symptoms resolve” fundamentally misunderstands what’s happening in the concussed brain. The energy crisis I described doesn’t fix itself with time alone – it requires active intervention to restore normal cellular function. From a functional neurology perspective, true recovery requires addressing the brain from the bottom up, following what we call the neurodevelopmental blueprint. This means: Restoring Cellular Energy: The brain needs help producing ATP and clearing the toxic byproducts of injury. Simply waiting for symptoms to disappear doesn’t address the underlying cellular dysfunction. Reintegrating Primitive Systems: Those primitive reflexes that have returned need to be systematically addressed and reintegrated, or the brain will remain stuck in a less mature state of functioning. Rebuilding from the Brainstem Up: Recovery must follow the same sequence the brain used to develop originally, starting with basic functions like breathing and balance before moving to higher-level cognitive skills. The Real Timeline of Teen Brain Recovery Parents are often told their teen needs “a few days to a week” of rest after a concussion. This timeline is based on adult recovery patterns and completely ignores the unique vulnerabilities of the developing brain. In my clinical experience treating many young athletes, teens typically require 2-4 weeks of comprehensive recovery protocols for even “mild” concussions—and that’s assuming it’s their first injury. For teens with multiple concussions, recovery can take months and requires intensive intervention to prevent long-term cognitive and emotional problems. One in ten teens who sustain a concussion will experience symptoms lasting more than three months. But what most families don’t realize is that even after symptoms “resolve,” the underlying neurological dysfunction often persists. The brain learns to compensate, masking the damage, but the foundation remains compromised. A Call for Neurological Awareness The solution isn’t eliminating sports, since the benefits of athletic participation are substantial. Instead, we need a fundamental shift in how we understand and respond to concussions in young athletes. This means recognizing that concussions are complex neurological injuries that trigger cascading cellular dysfunction, not temporary inconveniences that resolve with rest. It means understanding that the teenage brain’s ongoing development makes it uniquely vulnerable to lasting damage. And it means acknowledging that each repeat concussion compounds the risk exponentially. As parents and communities, we must move beyond the “shake it off” mentality that has dominated sports culture for too long. When we understand that a concussion triggers an energy crisis at the cellular level (disrupting ion channels, flooding the brain with toxic neurotransmitters, and potentially causing lasting changes to brain structure and function) we begin to appreciate why proper evaluation and comprehensive recovery protocols aren’t optional. The developing brain’s remarkable capacity for adaptation and healing deserves our respect and protection. Our young athletes’ futures depend on it. — iStock image The post The Hidden Dangers of Repeat Concussions in Teen Athletes: What Happens Inside the Developing Brain appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article